JACKSON, MS - This is a news release from Mississippi Economic Council

Mississippi voters support spending more to fix the state's roads and bridges – even if it means a reasonable increase in taxes and fees, according to a poll released today.

The poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, shows 61 percent would support a reasonable plan to increase funding, provided the new taxes or fees were only spent on fixing and improving our highways and bridges. Of those polled 34% strongly support the increase vs. 22% who strongly oppose the increase.

The poll also showed 85 percent of Mississippians support spending more on fixing and improving Mississippi's roads and bridges, as outlined in MEC's 'Excelerate Mississippi' transportation plan. The plan calls for $375 million in additional funding each year to address the state's most critical transportation needs.

The support for transportation infrastructure funding has grown since a poll conducted by MEC in December which showed 53 percent endorsed a reasonable plan for raising taxes and fees.

The latest poll conducted March 28-30 interviewed 625 Mississippi voters, and has a margin for error of +/- 4 percentage points and a 95 percent probability rate. The poll also shows that 59 percent of republicans support a reasonable plan for increasing taxes and fees, while 65 percent of democrats are in favor of such action.

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